South Asian classical music in an intimate setting at the Brighton Festival

Taking place on Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11, it offers a celebration of South Asian classical music in an intimate setting, curated by Atiya Gourlay.

A mehfil is a small intimate setting for South Asian classical music where a musician and their audience aim to reach the rasa, a state of engagement when they become one in emotion and intent. Atiya is offering a special series of mehfils from dawn to dusk over the weekend as part of Brighton Festival this year, featuring both traditional music and genre-defying new creations.

“Mehfil is an Arabic-Persian word which means a gathering where music or poetry are performed for a small audience, and for me it was that idea of people coming together, a real connection between the performers and the audience, and that's what we are wanting to create.

“We have been having events at the Rose Hill since September. I went to a lovely event there, it was a wonderful performance of a Palestinian oud player and a ladino Jewish singer, and the connection was beautiful. Gaza was really present at the time but neither of them talked about Gaza but what it was was a coming together and a sharing, a real sense of togetherness and connection with the audience that were really listening. They were really attentive listeners to this very different music. And I just said afterwards how intimate and moving I had found the evening. I had always wanted to do South Asian classical music, and I had that real feeling that I used to have with my parents when they had a mehfil. I said I wanted to do something like that, and the venue said ‘Why don't you do it here?’ I had no excuses! I had been contemplating it for about 20 years and she gave me dates from September to May. And then I connected with my own personal interests with South Asian classical music, and within a couple of weeks I had actual musicians booked up. I wanted them to be UK-based or UK-trained South Asian classical musicians. And you notice I'm not saying Indian. I'm talking about the whole region.

“And the events we have had have been sold out right from the start. I was so surprised. I couldn't believe it and then I was really nervous. I was thinking were people just being nice and supporting me or supporting the Rose Hill but actually we had people saying that the events had transformed their lives. A lot of people are in mixed relationships and they found that they could just sit and be there and enjoy. It is a local venue and there is a bar there. It was not like being in a temple. They are in a place that connected to their daily life, and that's why it works so well. It's a small community and I want people to come along and feel that they are welcomed.”

And from that has grown the full weekend event, working with zerOclassikal - Emerging Artists. The weekend features Emerging Artists, Sat 10 May, 2pm; Raag and Taal Workshop, Sat 10 May, 4.30pm; Early Evening Ragas, Sat 10 May, 6pm; Into the Moonlight, Sat 10 May, 9pm; (Very) Late Night Ragas, Sat 10 May, 11.15pm; Waking Up with Ragas, Sun 11 May, 9am; Khayal Vocal Workshop, Sun 11 May, 11am; and Lunchtime with Lost Ragas, Sun 11 May, 1pm.

“What we hope to achieve is to have a whole new audience welcomed into an appreciation of South Asian classical music in an intimate setting. And that's really important. You can see this music in big halls but what I wanted was to connect really closely with the artists and with the music because that's how I heard it when I was growing up. The Rose Hill is important for that reason that it is not a concert hall venue.

“But what people will be hearing is quality music. We talk about nervous systems settling and about hearts connecting. This is music that you have to really experience with an open heart and that is what is different about South Asian classical music. The nearest way of describing it is as jazz. You need to know your instruments and you need to know your music but the real art is improvisation and that's why a small intimate venue is brilliant. My hope is that people will then feel more able to go and hear this music in the bigger venues.

“A mehfil is an important part of south Asian culture but the reason we’ve had so much support is because this is totally inclusive, and I am excited to be able to introduce mehfil to a whole new audience who get to experience its joy for the very first time.

“All I’d say to people thinking about coming for the first time is … do it. Don’t be scared of the music or the intimacy. You will be welcomed and gently travel to a new culture and experience. It’s not that easy to really get across the intimacy of a mehfil if you haven’t already been to one but it can be like a gentle meditation where you glide deeper and deeper into the music and experience.”

Pictured: left to right – Atiya Gourlay. artistic director of The Mehfil Space CIC, Lucy Davies, executive director of Brighton Dome, Brighton Festival and Wafa Paton, board member of The Mehfil Space CIC launching Mehfil-e-Rose Hill at the Brighton Festival.